Head of Research and Development - Battery Energy Storage Systems

Larsen & Toubro Ltd; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Larsen & Toubro Ltd in India seeks a senior leader to head R&D for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). You will steer end-to-end development, from concept through certification, across cells, modules, and packs, coordinating electrical, thermal, mechanical, and software teams.

The role emphasizes technology strategy, platform development, and partnerships with cell manufacturers. The incumbent will drive innovation, manage large multi-disciplinary teams, and ensure safety and regulatory

Qualifications

• 12–20+ years in Energy Storage, Batteries, EV, or Power Electronics.

Responsibilities

• Define 3–5 year technology roadmap for BESS products (cells, modules, packs, PCS, BMS, EMS).
• Lead end-to-end product development from concept to release to manufacturing (1–5 MWh containers).
• Oversee multi-disciplinary engineering teams across electrical, mechanical, thermal, firmware, and safety domains.
• Drive IP strategy, patent filings, and partnerships with universities and vendors.
• Ensure compliance with UL/IEC/IEEE/IS standards and certifications (9540/9540A, 1973).
• Guide manufacturing readiness and design-for-manufacturing/assembly.

Skills

Electrical & Power electronics

Thermal management

BMS/EMS firmware

System design 600–1500V

Cross-functional leadership

Patents & IP

Education

M.Tech in Electrical Engineering

M.Tech in Mechanical Engineering

PhD in Energy Systems

PhD in Power Electronics

Tools

CAN

Modbus

IEC 61850

Job description

Head of BESS R&D and Engineering Head of R&D – Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

Location: Bangalore Div: L&T – EPS – Power Electronics and BESS

Role Overview

The Head of R&D – BESS leads the end-to-end research, design, and development of utility-scale and industrial battery energy storage solutions. This role oversees multi-disciplinary engineering teams (electrical, mechanical, thermal, firmware, software, controls, power electronics, cell/pack engineering, and validation) and drives innovation, product roadmap execution, technology strategy, and platform development.

Key Responsibilities

• Technology Strategy & Roadmap Define the 3–5-year technology roadmap for BESS products: cells, modules, packs, PCS integration, BMS, EMS, safety, and cooling. Evaluate emerging technologies (LFP/NMC cell innovations, sodium-ion, solid-state, liquid-cooled designs, advanced PCS topologies, hybrid systems). Lead competitive benchmarking and cost-performance improvement programs.
• End-to-End Product Development Leadership Own the full product lifecycle: concept → design → prototype → validation → certification → release to manufacturing. Oversee development of utility-scale BESS platforms (1–5 MWh containers) and industrial BESS products. Drive cell-to-pack development (module structure, pack architecture, thermal pathways, safety features). Ensure alignment with standards (UL 9540/9540A, UL 1973, IEC 62933, IEEE, CE, BIS).
• Cross-Functional Engineering Management Lead R&D teams across all function -Electrical & Power electronics, Mechanical/Structural design, Thermal & Cooling systems, Battery module/pack engineering, BMS/EMS controls & firmware development, System engineering & safety, Testing & validation. Build strong collaboration with Product Management, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Field Engineering teams.
• Innovation, IP, and Advanced Engineering File patents for thermal management, module designs, battery controls, fire mitigation systems, etc. Drive cost reduction through advanced materials, liquid cooling, optimized pack designs, and architecture simplification. Establish partnerships with cell manufacturers, universities, and research institutes.
• Testing, Validation & Certification Set up and manage R&D labs: cell/module test labs, environmental chambers, fire testing, inverter-battery integration labs. Define test plans for performance, reliability, safety, and life-cycle validation. Oversee third-party certification and large-scale fire testing (9540A).
• Manufacturing & Industrialization Support Guide Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and design transfer. Review production processes (module assembly, pack assembly, wiring harness, leak testing). Support supplier qualification for cells, cooling components, electronics, and safety equipment.
• Leadership & Organizational Development Build and mentor a world-class R&D organization. Develop engineering competency frameworks and technical career ladders. Establish strong project governance, development processes, documentation, and design reviews.

Required Qualifications

M.Tech /PhD in Electrical, Mechanical, Thermal, Power Electronics, Energy Systems, or related fields. Experience 12–20+ years in Energy Storage, Batteries, EV, Renewable R&D, or Power Electronics. Minimum 5–8 years leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams. Proven track record of launching Utility-Scale or Industrial BESS products. Deep understanding of Cell chemistry, aging, safety, SoC/ SoH estimation,Module /pack design Liquid cooling/air cooling, High-voltage system design (600–1500V) Power electronics & inverter-battery interactions EMS/BMS firmware & communication protocols (CAN, Modbus, IEC 61850) Fire detection & suppression Knowledge of regulatory standards: UL, IEC, IEEE, IS.

Preferred Skills

Experience with giga-factory cell supply, cell qualification, and vendor management. Experience in cost modelling (cell-to-pack, pack-to-system). Strong program management and cross-functional leadership skills. Ability to work with global teams and customers. Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and communication skills.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

On-time delivery of product roadmap milestones. Reduction in cost/kWh and improvement in performance ( Wh /L, Wh /kg, thermal stability). Successful certifications and zero major field failures. Patent filings and R&D innovation output. Team competence development and retention.